The New Era of Knights
by georgiagurl16
Summary: The usual story of a girl wanting to be a knight. But of course, there is a twist for Kat, she happens to be closely related to the king. i will say pg now, but it might go up to pg13
1. Default Chapter

Chapter One:

A young girl of about 10 years looked out of the window of the carriage with a sigh. Anyone could see that she was a beautiful child and would one day make a gorgeous woman. Her long black hair fell down her back in waves, and her piercing blue eyes looked far into the distance, the red, delicate mouth drawn into a straight line. She was concentrating hard. She thought of how wonderful it would be to be a knight, something even her older brother couldn't, or didn't want to, do. If only she hadn't had so many things blocking her way. The first thing was her mother, who hoped the girl would become a young lady that they could marry off. The second thing was the king, who didn't particularly want her to be a knight for reasons unknown to the girl. Now, on the way to Corus, she wondered what her fate was the be.

"Katherina, do not sit like that. You are slouching. No proper lady slouches." Katherina of Kingscove turned to face her mother.

"Who said I was a proper lady?" Kat retorted.

" Gracious! Are we at it again Kat? I thought we asked you to leave your temper behind." Her father's dry voice with a hint of amusement filled the carriage. Duke Henry of Kingscove was a kind man who was very fond of his daughter, as she was much like himself.

"How would you feel, Father, if you felt that the only dream you ever have was being stripped away from you for no reason at all. It isn't fair! You even said that I was a natural with a sword. Certainly the king has seen that. Father, the only thing that I want to do is to be a knight of Tortall. That's it. Why does it have to be denied from me? It isn't fair!" Kat's eyes were glittering angrily.

"My dear, there are reasons. And I will try my best to appeal to the King." He responded patiently. The family was used to these angry outbursts, Kat had a terrible temper problem.

"I insist that my daughter not be a knight. She should be sent to a convent like every other respectable girl of her age. I have had enough of this knight-nonsense." Kat's mother, the duchess Lorraine of Kingscove, was conservative as it gets and definitely saw having a knight as a daughter was shameful.

The family arrived in Corus a few hours later. The king was ready to greet his relatives and one of his realms most powerful nobles. Kat, despite her anger toward him, ran to him immediately to throw herself into his arms as she screamed his name. The King in turn, lifted the girl off the ground and gave her a hug, smiling the whole time. Of course, he greeted his cousin and the duchess more discreetly.

Inside the office, the adults sat down to drink tea while Kat ran around looking for childhood playmates. She had grown up in the palace and knew everyone and everything in the Royal wing. The first person she looked for was her cousin Roald, who was a page at the time.

"I have thought it over and I don't think I will let Kat enter page training. I know it is all she wants, but I need her for other things. Henry, you know that she is practically a princess. And that everyone sees the Conte in her." The king was saying as Kat re-entered the room.

"I do not want my daughter to be used as a political pawn, Jon. She is more valuable than that. Besides, you let Keledry of Mindelin be a page, why is it any different with Kat. You have seen her with a sword, Jon. Can you deny that she is a natural worrior. You cannot waste that much talent and you know that, you are just waiting for someone to tell you that so you have a reason to let her in." Henry's voice was, as usual, patient and reasonable. He gave the impression that he would give this argument for anyone, not just his own daughter.

"I rather agree with you, your Majesty," Lorraine spoke up.

"Henry is right. I have no choice but to let her train. I suppose I don't have to like it. Although, it is a comfort to have her on my side." the King smiled ruefully.

It was decided, Katherina of Kingscove would become a page, the second girl to openly be a page, after Keledry of Mindelin.


	2. Chapter 2

Hello again, sorry for the delay, school has been a killer this week. Anyway, forgot my disclaimer, as you know, the characters that you recognize are not mine, they are Tamora Pierce's. Ok, now, on to the reviews.

Alvios: I made it Roald for a reason. He will come into play later, she really grew up with all of them, I suppose. There is an age difference, I know, but I am thinking only 4 years or so. He is kind of a big brother figure at the present. Thanks for the review, though.

Chapter 2

It was a cloudless summer day and Keledry of Mindelin and Nealan of Queenscove sat talking out near the practice courts at the Tortallan Palace in Corus. They came to keep their skills sharp because they were about to begin their third year as pages, but they talked more than practiced.

"So Kel, by the way, have you heard, or do I have to tell you." Neal asked with a mischievous glint in his green eyes.

"What are you talking about Neal?" Kel looked exasperated, thinking Neal was teasing her about something. Neal just kept a smile on his face and refused to answer. "Tell me Neal, or I will hit you with something."

"Well, since you have lowered yourself to the use of brute force, I am forced to tell you." Neal's dry voice made Kel want to hit him even more.

"Tell me, Neal or I will really hit you with something!!!"

"Well, if you must know, a certain cousin of mine is trying to start page training. She was supposed to have arrived. Know her, she was here early enough to berate the king before supper. She is ver feisty. Oh, and she is coming to find me to tell me what happens after King Jonathan reaches a decision." Neal grinned at the shock obvious on his best friend's face.

"SHE?"

Kel expressed this shock as a small, blue-clad shape raced across the court toward them. "NEAL, Neal!!!" It screamed.

Kat reached them barely panting, she seemed to be in good physical shape. "Neal, they're letting me do it. Mother isn't too happy, but she will get over it. Father finally convinced Jon. Oh Neal, I am so happy! I get to be a knight. My dreaming finally became something! I-" She paused as she noticed Neal's companion.

If Kel hadn't been shocked before, she was definitely shocked now. The girl was small and delicate. She was also beautiful. No wonder the king didn't want her training, thought Kel, she would distract the pages and squires greatly.

"Hello, I'm Kat, and you must be Keledry of Mindelin, Neal has written ever so much about you. I only have one question to ask you, how do you put up with him?" Kat smile at her older cousin. Kel couldn't help but grin at the younger girl's question.

"I believe I hear your nurse calling you, Kat, maybe you should go now," Neal suggested, trying to sound mean, but the smile on his lips gave him away.

"Are you going to try to make me Neal!" laughed Kat. "I would really like to see that!" Neal then lounged, trying to grab the girl, and in a flash, Kat had Neal pinned on the ground with a small dagger to his throat. Kel, couldn't help it, she laughed at her best friend's wounded pride.

"I told you not to mess with me Neal!" Kat teased her stunned cousin. "I guess that I will be seeing you two around. Bye!"

Kel laughed at Neal as she moved to help him up. "It seems that I am not the only one to keep you in line now."

"I should have known. Kat is known for the innate skill of wielding sharp objects: knife, sword, and tongue," Neal commented dryly. "So, can you see the family resemblance?"

"She looks sort of like the king. Why does she call him 'Jon' and not 'the king' or 'His Majesty?'" Kel asked, very confused of the young girl's behavior toward the monarch.

"First of all, Kat is a cousin to the king. Her father is of the Conte blood, which accounts for her looks. Also, the king is like an uncle for her. You know, she is the next in line for the Throne, should something happen to the Royal children. That is one of the reasons that the king didn't want for her to be a knight. She could be a valuable pawn in foreign alliances. Men will be tripping over themselves to get a marriage with her. Then of course, they would meet her." Neal sounded smug as presented this information to Kel.

"Then, do you have Conte blood, since you are related to her?" inquired Kel.

"No, I am related to her through her mother's side. I am related to the king through his mother, my father's sister." Neal didn't sound the least bit jealous in having such a powerful cousin.

I know, it is short, but all I can think of right now, please review, and keep in mind this is my first fanfic, so I need as much help as I can get. Thanks! God Bless everyone!!!


	3. chapter 3

Hey again, sorry it took so long, I hat essay test and projects, anyway, on with the story.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters that you might recognize.

By the way, thanks for the reviews, and I will try to give Kat many faults, so don't worry, and be happy!!!

Chapter 3

Kat couldn't help but smile as she woke up in the page's quarters in the palace. It was another battle that she had won. Her mother was furious and refused to speak with her, but it was alright. Kat jumped out of bed and did some sword and knife exercises, then bathed and got dressed to go down to the mess hall to eat breakfast. She didn't want to be late on the first day of training.

When she entered the mess hall, a hush went over the pages and squires. Kat got mad at this and glared at the crowd. Then Neal, who had come in after Kat, said, "Yeah, yeah we have a new girl page, get over it and go along with your business," with a cross voice. Kat grinned at her cousin, who was not at all a morning person, and then followed Neal to get her breakfast. Neal introduced Kat to all of his friends among the pages. To Kat's disappointment, Roald was someplace with his knight master, but Kat liked Neal's friends just fine. Kel seemed a bit quiet, but the boys, like Merric joked and make her laugh. The rest of breakfast passed without anything out of the ordinary happened.

Of course, Neal chose himself, much to the disappointment of Lord Wyldon to be Kat's sponsor. At archery practice, the archery teacher, very upset by the horrible performance by Kat, spend the entire time criticizing the girl. Kat whose fuse is very short, snapped at everyone who said one thing to her on the way to sword practice (I haven't read first test or Page in a while, so correct me if I am wrong, they did have sword practice, right?) There, Kat did much better. She even beat Neal when they started sparring off. Neal was impossible for the rest of the day. That day was uneventful until Kat didn't show up for the study session in Neal's room after her meeting with Master Numar. Neal went out looking for her.

He found her at the bottom of a flight of steps, appearing unconscious. Neal was angry when he saw the bruises and gashes all over her face. Who could have hurt her like this? Kat was like a little sister to him, and he hated to see her hurt. So he ran down the steps to get to her.

Ha! Cliff hanger! It sucks, but that is just fine with me. Bye bye! (sorry it is short)


	4. chapter 4

I am so sorry you guys!! I had a church retreat and one act play competition with my school's drama. And after a cliff hanger! Anyways, back to the story. Oh yeah, I am open to suggestions, I have plenty ideas for her squire years, but none for page years. Oh, and to my reviewers, Thank you, please, bear with me, I am the worst speller in the world, if you haven't noticed already. I just ask that you be patient, I really am trying. Oh! And I was informed that the pages didn't fight with swords, just staff. So just replace sword with staff!

Disclaimer: You know which ones belong to Tamora Pierce, I shouldn't have to tell you!

The story....

Chapter 4

When Kat came back to consciousness, a dark figure loomed over her. A moment of panic and fear ran through her. Then she realized that the dark figure was only Neal. He looked worried. "What happened?" he demanded.

"I don't know," replied Kat, confused. It seemed that she was a little groggy from the fall and the whole tiring day.

"Who beat you up? I know you had to of seen and taken some chunks out of whoever hurt you."

"Neal, do you honestly think that someone who could make me unconscious didn't leave a blood trail. No, Neal, no one beat me up." She paused, seeing him eye her with doubt. "Hey, what are you doing?" She fussed as he picked her up.

"I am taking you to father, I am certain that you have at least one broken rib. Tell me the truth, what happened?"

"I truthfully don't know. I was just walking down the hall, I was dead tired, and I have never had very good balance anyway, I guess I just tripped. I was all my fault. I just need to learn to pay attention to where I am going." Kat didn't tell Neal about the feeling she had that someone was following her or the leg she saw sticking out only when it was too late. Kat just got chills thinking of it. Then she remembered what she had to tell Uncle Baird. "by the way, Neal, Master Numair said that I have the Gift. He says that I am strong, but limited, like him. I'll tell you more later, when I am not so tired." With that, Kat let out a huge yawn and fell sound asleep in her older cousin's arms.

Kat woke up in the infirmary in the morning with her uncle, Duke Baird standing over her looking worried. "What's the matter, Uncle, you weren't worried about me were you?" Kat asked with a mischievous glint in her blue eyes.

"Katherina, kindly do not give me a scare like that again," Duke Baird said dryly. "I would hate to be the one to tell you father that you got yourself killed the first day of page training. In fact, I would be terrified. You know perfectly well what he is capable of when he is in a rage."

"Well I am alright now, so I will be on my way." Kat hopped up and started to bounce out of the room.

"Hold it right there, young lady" Kat winced at the sound of her uncle's voice. Why did everyone in her entire extended family feel the need to interrogate her at the slightest bruise? "We have to talk. You must tell me what happened last night. I want the truth. Like it or not, you are the king's cousin and you must be treated as such. So?"

"The story I told Neal was true, uncle. I was asleep on my feet and I fell down the stairs. Now, can I go and be on time for breakfast so it doesn't get out what an idiot I am?"

"I suppose so, just be careful; the last thing I need is the king and your father after me. I am supposed to keep an eye on you."

"I promise to be a good little girl, uncle, thanks and bye!" Kat said as she raced to the door.

As she got to the mess, in time, for breakfast, she saw a look of slight disappointment from Lord Wyldon. He must have been hoping she would be covered in bruises by now. But Kat knew no one was mad enough to anger her father by hurting her. She couldn't help but smile in amusement as she thought of this.

Lessons went rather well that day. Kat had made friends with Neal's group, or should I say Kel's group. Joren and his cronies were shooting deadly glares at Kat the whole time, but never did anything more. "They must have this insane idea that you are related to the king," Neal commented sarcastically after witnessing those glares. Kat just hit him extra hard during the next drill, and ignored the killer glances, and regarded them with slight annoyance. Any REAL man would have challenged her already if they had a problem with her, not resort to looks that only make you look silly.


	5. Ch 5

Kat stood at the top of a tower in the Palace. At 12, she had just finished her second year as a page. She was thinking of the events of the past 2 years. Kat had fallen down stairs and had things hit her on the head with enough force to knock her out. Kat also kept having this weird feeling that someone was following her. Her suspicions were finally answered when the Palace watch had arrested two commoners from the fief Eldrone that had been involved with a plot to kidnap and kill Kat in revenge for what the king did do the rebellious Eldrone fief after the event of King Jonathon's coronation. They had followed her and plotted against her because she would be easier to get to than one of the royal children.

Kat thought about how she had done well and stayed despite the many protests and plots to get rid of her. But it wasn't over yet. Kat still had 2 more years of page training and another 4 years of squiredom to endure.

Kat was so lost in her thoughts, that she didn't hear the footsteps behind her.

"Excuse me, milady, Katherina," Kat jumped and turned around so fast that she lost balance. The young man caught her elbow, stopping her form falling. He was about 17 years old withlightbrown hair and lively green eyes."I am William of Marble Valley, your father's squire. He sent me to fetch you to him."

Kat smiled, "Thank you Squire William, I shall be right down." With that she turned and took a last glance at the view of the Royal Forest, and left the tower. William followed her.

Duke Henry, Kat's father, simply called the meeting with his daughter to bid her farewell. He and his squire were going to border patrol. Kat would stay at the palace and wait until training begun again.

The years passed without much out of the ordinary happening.


End file.
